3 Reasons Why You Should Open a Great Steak Franchise in 2017

The premier cheesesteak franchise is ramping up for a national expansion as the demand for the iconic American sandwich skyrockets

The New Year is often a time when plans are put into action, and for aspiring entrepreneurs, there isn’t a better time to begin the process of realizing the dream of owning their own business. If you’re reading this, chances are you dream of opening your own restaurant to bring the classic American cheesesteak experience to your community. With Great Steak™, your dreams are in good hands, as our business model has launched dozens of aspiring entrepreneurs and cheesesteak enthusiasts into living the American Dream of small business ownership.

Founded by two Ohio brothers who fell in love with the sandwich on a trip to Philadelphia in 1982, Great Steak has since grown to more than 100 locations across the nation. In 2017, the nation’s premier cheesesteak franchise is planning to rapidly expand into new markets, as well as strengthen the foothold in territories where Great Steak is already established.

“There has never been a better time to invest in Great Steak,” says Walter Mejia, Vice President of Operations for Great Steak. “For us, it proves that our concept is easy to own and easy to scale. The wave of enthusiasm that Great Steak is experiencing now is fueling our expansion plans for 2017, when we hope to open 10 new locations. We’re focusing on expanding our foothold in California, Texas and Virginia, as well as potentially opening multiple locations in Indiana. We expect 2017 to be extremely busy as far as growth is concerned.”

Here are three reasons why you should consider franchising with Great Steak in 2017:

Existing Great Steak franchise owners are reinvesting in the brand

In 2016, Great Steak refocused its efforts on franchise expansion, creating a new franchise development website for entrepreneurs who are passionate about cheesesteaks and want to get a detailed overview of the Great Steak franchise opportunity.

The result has generated significant interest in the brand from entrepreneurs who are ready to bring the classic American cheesesteak experience to their communities, as well as created enthusiasm from the brand’s growing network of franchise owners. Before the year’s end, an existing Great Steak franchise owner will open a new location in the Chicago market. The new Great SteakTM will be the fourth restaurant placed in the nontraditional setting of a gas station.

“It’s very validating for us that Great Steak franchise owners are reinvesting in the brand,” Walter says. “For us, it proves that our concept is easy to own and easy to scale. The location in Virginia will be traditional for us, in a shopping center. The Chicago-area restaurant is nontraditional and will be placed within a gas station. This is the second Great Steak to exist in the gas station model, and it proves that our brand is unique enough to fit anywhere. In the past, we’ve done stadiums and arenas, even though we’re very well known for being located in mall food courts. Great Steak really works well in any setting.”

Great Steak has two affordable business models

Franchise owners can produce average revenues in excess of $466,000 a year, according to Item 19 disclosures in our latest FDD. We offer two unique franchise models for the savvy entrepreneur or the aspiring restauranteur. For those individuals seeking to bring cheesesteak sandwiches to their neighborhood, we offer the in-line restaurant model with an initial investment beginning at $129,200.

No mall food court is complete without an authentic cheesesteak sandwich shop, and Great Steak is the best choice for shopping malls and strip centers from coast to coast with the food court franchise model. Initial investment for the food court model begins at $146,600.

Franchise owners can produce average revenues in excess of $466,000 a year, according to Item 19 disclosures in our latest FDD. We offer two unique franchise models for the savvy entrepreneur or the aspiring restauranteur. For those individuals seeking to bring cheesesteak sandwiches to their neighborhood, we offer the in-line restaurant model with an initial investment beginning at $129,200.

Great Steak gets the cheesesteak right

For many years, cheesesteak lovers would have to pilgrimage to the City of Brotherly Love to get their cheesesteak fix. Today, the cheesesteak has entered the mainstream in ways that lovers of the once regional sandwich always knew that it would. National Cheesesteak Day, celebrated on March 24, became a nationally trending topic on social media platforms and was covered on several national television and print news outlets. Google searches for the sandwich have skyrocketed, and approximations of the cheesesteak have become mainstays on the menus of national brands like SUBWAY®, Firehouse Subs® and Jersey Mike’s® Subs. Papa John’s® is even offering a cheesesteak pizza.

As one of the first brands to bring the classic cheesesteak experience to the rest of America, Great Steak takes the cheesesteak extremely seriously. The simple menu focuses on cheesesteaks, both classic and innovative, and the brand’s commitment to the cheesesteak has won a rapidly growing customer base that is composed of both hardcore cheesesteak purists and the more casual enjoyers of the sandwich.

“Where the strength of Great SteakTM lies is the simplicity of the menu,” says Joe O’Brien, Director of Research and Development for Great Steak. “It focuses squarely on the cheesesteak. We deliver a great product with all of the authenticity of the cheesesteak that I personally grew up eating in the Philadelphia area. It’s very easy for me to get excited about the brand just by being from that section of the country. One of the first things that you’ll notice about the Great Steak brand is the fresh bread, which is baked daily. Our sirloin steak is sliced and shipped to us directly from Philadelphia.”

The time to open a Great Steak franchise in your community is now

Great Steak is a low-cost investment opportunity; the startup costs for traditional stores range from $146,600 to $511,050. Having sold millions of cheesesteaks since our founding in 1982, Great Steak has an experienced business model for entrepreneurs who are passionate about bringing the classic American cheesesteak experience to their communities. The franchise fee for your first traditional Great Steak franchise is $30,000, and the franchise fee for multiple units may be discounted if certain conditions and criteria are met.

This web site and the franchise sales information on this site do not constitute an offer to sell a franchise. The offer of a franchise can only be made through the delivery of a franchise disclosure document. Certain states require that we register the franchise disclosure document in those states. The communications on this web site are not directed by us to the residents of any of those states. Moreover, we will not offer or sell franchises in those states until we have registered the franchise (or obtained an applicable exemption from registration) and delivered the franchise disclosure document to the prospective franchisee in compliance with applicable law. In addition, several countries regulate the offer and sale of franchises which may require additional steps to be taken before a franchise can be offered.